Sony backtracks on PS4 talk; NGP now rumored to be named the PlayStation Vita

Over the weekend, we were among the sites that picked up on the PS4 buzz. In an interview talking about the company’s current investments, Sony VP and chief financial officer Masaru Kato alluded to a new console – or did he? But in a later interview with the Wall Street Journal, Kato quickly back-peddled. “This is a good opportunity to clarify this. Some people misread what I said…Any time we launch a product, from that day we already start thinking about the next one. This is a just a general statement.”

But that’s not to say Sony actually isn’t developing the PS4. Kato’s revised statement sounds like little more than a vague reshuffling of his words. Now the Sony exec is trying to steer attention back to the NGP handheld gaming device, lightly insinuating this was the “platform” to which he was solely referring. And according to Games Pundit, the NGP will (thank god) be undergoing a name change: The site says that the final product will be named the PlayStation Vita. An ad of some sort that’s supposedly set to hit E3 will show off the new name, but of course that can’t be confirmed until the actual conference.

So for the moment we’re being led to believe Kato was not talking next-gen console. At least that’s what Sony wants us to think. We almost hope that’s the case: If Sony is so drastically reducing its R&D for this “new platforms’” development. Seeing as the PS3 cost the company a ridiculous amount and only recently began earning a profit – and in combination with Sony’s recent woes – scaling back and exercising some caution is understandable. That said, we’d rather Sony use that attitude for its handheld device than the PS4. At the same time, we’re not sure anyone would be thrilled if Sony sticks to the ten-year cycle for consoles it’s talked about.